General Works
by Metaverse
Summary: Stuff that I did on a whim or to get over a case of writers block on my other works
1. GW 01

Freedom  
  
By Metaverse  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters nor am I making  
  
any money from this. Please do not sue me.  
  
Nabiki looked up from her magazine as the front door slammed closed. Her eyes drifted to her younger sister, Akane, who was currently talking to Auntie Nodoka about Ranma's recent behavior. For a month now, ever since their junior year in high school had begun, Ranma had become more and more withdrawn and contemplative. At first everyone had just assumed it was a phase, but about a week back things had changed.  
  
'Speak of the Devil' she thought, as Ranma entered the room. The young man stood at the entryway, arms crossed over his chest, eye's glaring about, disgust written plainly on his face.  
  
Ever since that day when the parents had tried again to marry him and Akane, Ranma had been in a foul mood. One that, instead of improving, had rapidly gotten worse. Now as she looked at him, she could see that whatever was eating at him was about to culminate in the next few moments.  
  
Soun cleared his throat. "Son, would you care to explain, why you left Akane to walk home alone?"  
  
Ranma 's eyes locked onto the Patriarch of the Tendo family. "I had 'business' to discuss with Ukyo and Shampoo."  
  
"What KIND of business." Nabiki glanced over to Akane who was slowly rising to her feet. It was obvious she'd come to a conclusion on what had been discussed and obviously didn't like it.  
  
"I made it clear that I'd not marry them as things stood."  
  
Genma's face broke out into a broad smile. "Well done boy!"  
  
Soun nodded his assent. "Yes, it's about time you started showing some initiative in your engagement to Akane."  
  
Nabiki's eyes moved between the father's and Ranma and knew their joy would be short lived.  
  
Ranma shook his head. "You don't get it. I'm ending all my engagements. From here on out, I choose my own course in life."  
  
Silence  
  
"Ranma!" That was from a horrified Nodoka. Nabiki snorted internally, 'God forbid her son turn his back on honor.' Nabiki thought.  
  
"Saotome what is the meaning of this!"  
  
"Boy what nonsense are you spouting!"  
  
"Ra..R..Ranma?" Confusion and hurt marred Akane's features.  
  
Ranma was unmoved by any of it. "In the last month I came to realize that I was being a coward like so many of you had said. I let myself be bullied into a role you all proscribed. Well, I refuse to be a coward any longer. So I'm taking charge of my life."  
  
"Ranma, this is very unmanly!"  
  
Ranma's eyes swung to Nodoka, the contempt there silenced any further protest from her. "I also realized" he began while looking at her. "That my biological mother only seems to love me when I fit her view of Manhood."  
  
Nodoka reacted as if slapped.  
  
"Ranma," Akane gasped "That's you Mother!"  
  
Ranma snorted "Some mother. I'm left to rot with Genma for ten years, then she enters my life and expects me to do whatever she says?" His glare pinned her in place. "I put so much of myself on the line to earn her love. Why should I have to do that, she abandon me Akane. Then demands I become unhappy in the name of honor?" He shook his head. "I went without a mom for 10 years of my life and I can continue on that way."  
  
Nodoka was now nearly in tears as Akane tried to comfort her.  
  
"Boy I don't know what's gotten into you but you will apologize to her this instant!"  
  
"Make me." He snarled  
  
Genma obliged.  
  
The portly practionar of anything goes, feinted a high right, only to drop and sweep low. Ranma leapt up and snapped a leg out, catching him in the temple and flinging his body into Soun, who was just rising to his feet to aid his friends. Both crashed to the floor unconscious.  
  
As Ranma landed from his attack, he gazed meaningfully around the room "Anybody else?"  
  
Seeing that nobody else wished to try their luck, he made his way up the stairs and to his room.  
  
********  
  
Nabiki stared at Ranma's door for a moment, the choked sobs of a still crying Nodoka drifting up from the family room. The fathers had decided to give Ranma some space, assured that he'd come around after he had some time to cool off. Akane had been all for storming up to his room and dragging an apology out of him, but Nabiki had managed to convince her that it wouldn't be a good idea.  
  
Still, it'd seemed wise for a third party to check up on him and since Kasumi was otherwise indisposed, she'd been volunteered. So here she was, standing outside his door, listening to the soft snuffling sounds of someone trying to stop the tears, and trying to decide how best to approach this.  
  
Shrugging her shoulders and tossing caution to the wind, she opened his door and entered.  
  
Ranma turned at the sound of his door being closed and Nabiki blinked in surprise at seeing the obvious tracks of tears along Ranma's face.  
  
"Wha..?"  
  
Ranma wiped his eyes and smiled at her sadly. "What I did and said downstairs was not easy me Nabiki, but it had to be done." He sniffled a bit. "What I said was the truth, the painful truth of the situation I found myself in. It was a no win scenario, I chose one girl and the others suffer and I suffer because I made such a choice under pressure. I'd never know if I honestly loved them, or did it for honor and that would eat at me and them for the rest of our lives."  
  
"So what are you planning to do?"  
  
"What else, leave. I ended the engagements, I made it clear I wasn't marrying any of them, so now I am free to go."  
  
She folded her arms under her chest "Right and you think they'll just let you go?"  
  
"No," he admits "But I've done all I can, so my responsibility is at an end." He grabs his pack.  
  
She stared at him trying to gauge his state of mind. "All I have to do is go downstairs and tell them what your doing and you'll never make it out of Nerima."  
  
His now emotionless face regards her own. "Yes you could."  
  
They stare at one another. Seemingly engaged in a game of wills. Neither side wanting to give up knowing the cost. For Nabiki, she knows that to lose this, will mean the young man she'd grown used to thinking of as a brother-in-law will disappear from her life, possibly forever. For Ranma he knows he will lose his last chance at freedom.  
  
A knock sounds at the door. "Is everything all right in there?" Kasumi ask.  
  
On reflex Nabiki turns and answers "We're fine sis." And turns back to find herself the only occupant of the room, an open window marking Ranma's escape.  
  
Emitting a silent curse she races to the window and looks out to find a moonlit evening and no sign of Ranma. She curses again, before turning around and racing for the door. But as her hand grabs the door knob she stops. The question that'd been running in her mind to this point was how could she find him and bring him back. Now, after recognizing his determination to leave, she asked herself if she should bring him back.  
  
Slowly, she opened the door and made her way downstairs.  
  
"Well, daughter." Soun began "How is he?"  
  
"Angry but he's calming down, daddy. Just give him some time and he'll be fine." Which was true, just not in the way he or anyone else here would interpret it.  
  
"Dinner will be ready in half-an-hour." Kasumi wiped her hands on her apron as she made the announcement.  
  
"Thank you Kasumi dear."  
  
"The boy'll be fine by dinner time Tendo," Genma added sagely "Just you wait."  
  
"Hmph, after what he said to his own mother he can rot up there for all I care." Akane glowered in the direction of Ranma's room.  
  
Nodoka was still to shaken to comment.  
  
Nabiki took it all in and considered what dire consequences her and Ranma's actions were going to have. Quietly, she excused herself to her room, to plan for the carnage that was likely to come in just a little under thirty minutes.  
  
- end  
  
Author Notes: And I'll stop here. This feels like it would make a great beginning to any number of possibilities but as I did this to get over a case of writers block on my other stories it's unlikely I'll do anything with it. If someone else wishes to take a swing at it, just e-mail me to let me know. 


	2. GW 02

A Fantastic Son By Metaverse  
  
DISCLAIMER: The Marvel Universe is owned by marvel Comics. Ranma 1/2 by Rumiko Takahashi.  
  
The middle-aged man rubbed his beard thoughtfully, considering what little clues the few fibers of fabric collected from the crime scene told. Eventually he removed the slide from under the microscope and quickly placed in another. Then bent over to look into lens.  
  
"Ranma, " He began as an idea began to form "Do you have the chemical work up ready?" He glanced up as a young man of 16 with blue eyes, a pig-tail and lab coat strolled in from another room, holding several sheets of paper."  
  
"Yes, Mr. Parker." He handed the papers to his mentor.  
  
Peter Parker read through the data, after several minutes he sighed and sat down in a nearby chair.  
  
Ranma frowned "I take it, we're not going to crack this case today" he said sadly.  
  
Peter looked up at his young intern and shook his head "Afraid not kid. Sorry. I know you were hoping to solve this before your internship was up." Ranma sighed dejectedly.  
  
Peter thought it over for a minute, "You could come in after school, if your parents don't mind."  
  
Ranma shook his head "No I can't, I'm leaving for Japan tomorrow."  
  
Peter blinked "Really, why?"  
  
Ranma took a seat next to his mentor "Well, I do want to know more about the land of my birth plus my biological father made some deals that have to be dealt with, the two biggest concerns being the family's Tendo and Kuonji. Hopefully I can settle them amiably"  
  
Peter nodded "I see, well, I wish you the best then." He stood "Let's get back to work. We may not solve this case today, but we can get closer to it."  
  
****** Soun Tendo smiled at his suddenly quite daughters. Figuring that they were to happy for words over his announcement.  
  
"Daddy," Nabiki began "Do you know this boy at all."  
  
"No." he said cheerfully, then held up a tape "But I recorded this from earlier today. Seems he's made the news.  
  
The tape began by showing images of a pig-tailed youth standing in front of Four Freedoms plaza with the Fantastic four.  
  
Announcer: "Japan, prepares to welcome one of her son's home as Ranma Richards, formerly Saotome, is due to return tomorrow. If you remember 10 years ago Ranma was sold to Reed Richards by Genma Saotome in payment for curing him of the intense mental trauma caused by the training his biological father put him through. The Richards family adopted Ranma and he has lived with them and their son Franklin, Johnny Storm and Ben Grim every since"  
  
Images of a muscular youth aiding the 'Thing' in stopping a bank robbery and later of leaping from rooftop to rooftop in an effort to keep up with the human torch, flashed by.  
  
Announcer: "Ranma, is just finishing up a summer internship in the NYPD Forensics lab. He has clearly stated the his home is in the USA but is traveling here to study, and settle a few arrangements made by his biological father. Now we go to."  
  
Soun smiled at the flabbergasted looks on his daughters faces. "Since his father and myself arranged for him to marry one of you, I'm sure he's coming her to fulfill that agreement. He should arrive here in a couple of days."  
  
Visions of herself joining one of the greatest super hero teams on earth, danced through Akane's head.  
  
Visions of herself gaining access to the brilliant mind and inventions of Reed Richards danced through Nabiki's head  
  
Visions of herself being there for her heroic husband danced through Kasumi's head.  
  
Soun smiled as each of his daughter left to prepare to welcome their fiancé.  
  
******  
  
Ukyo sat at a table in her restaurant and considered the note before her and the news report she just finished watching for the fifth time. 10 years of Vengeance were about to come to a close as Ranma had obviously decided to take responsibility for his actions. He had expressed his profound regret over what his father had done and promised to try and make it up to his best friend.  
  
Ukyo sat up as various visions of how he could make it up flitted through her mind. The first few dealt with him standing still while she pummeled him into submission. However increasingly the vision began to concern moonlight walks on the beach, flowers, poetry and Wedding bells. She snapped herself out of it when visions of the honeymoon started to play through her head.  
  
She smiled. Maybe, just maybe.  
  
******  
  
Ranma was packing his stuff when someone entered his room "So, how's May taking all this?"  
  
Ranma gave his brother a withering stare, "Come on Franklin you know she only has eyes for you."  
  
Franklin Richards smiled at his brother as he took a seat on the bed next to him. "Are you sure about that, you two have known each other for some time. It wouldn't be hard to imagine that friendship could turn to love."  
  
Ranma sighed as he placed his shirts into a suitcase. "Maybe" he admitted "Look we agreed to keep in contact but she's going through a lot at the moment and doesn't have as much free time as she used to.  
  
Franklin nodded, "I see." He paused then remember something "Oh, Uncle Ben wants to see you in the Gym, guess, he wants to spar one last time before you go."  
  
Ranma's face brightened noticeable as he put down what he was doing and cracked his knuckles, "Well, if the old man wants one last round, I have to oblige.."  
  
Franklin rolled his eyes as his brother eagerly left the room.  
  
Author Notes: What would Ranma be like if he were raised by the Fantastic four? What would their villains, Like Dr. Doom think of the pig-tailed youth? This is just something I had to get out of my system. 


	3. GW 03

The Next Level By Metaverse  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters nor am I making any money from this. Please do not sue me.  
  
Ranma exited the theater with a somewhat younger girl at his side. The two had met in and ice cream shop earlier in the week. With that as common ground, they'd become fast friends. Skuld, as she was called, was a little weird but overall a good person, Ranma figured. Though the mallet she carried had made him nervous at first, she'd yet to use it on him.  
  
"So what did you think of Matrix: Reloaded." He asked. This morning he'd saved the theater owner's daughter from some kidnappers, the guy had been so grateful he'd tried to give Ranma money, which he'd declined. However the guy had been insistent that he get some kind of reward so Ranma had accepted two tickets to see "Reloaded"  
  
"It was a fun action movie." She admitted. "As well as surprisingly accurate."  
  
Ranma turned to face her curiously. "What do you mean?"  
  
Skuld blinked then laughed nervously. "Er, nothing.  
  
""No, no, I want to hear what you have to say."  
  
Skuld, pursed her lips together, "Are you, religious?"  
  
Ranma shook his head. "Not really, pop never let me 'Waste time' on religion."  
  
Skuld face flushed with anger for a moment, but she quickly smothered it. "Well, let's say there is a God."  
  
Ranma shrugged "Okay, sure."  
  
"Now, let's say that to run the day to day of the Multiverse, he set it all under a machine."  
  
"I'm with you so far."  
  
She nods "Okay, so if the machine that runs the universe could be considered a computer.."  
  
Realization dawns on Ranma's face. "Then all that stuff in the movie would be possible!"  
  
Skuld smiled at her friend "Right! You'd just have to free your mind of what you think you know and have the faith."  
  
Ranma blinked "Faith?"  
  
"It was once said that those with sufficient faith, could move mountains."  
  
Ranma became thoughtful "Hmmm, I wonder."  
  
"RANMA!! WHERE ARE YOU!!?" The shrill scream of his un-cute fiancée drew his attention to her and the rest of the Nerima wreaking crew, who were currently searching the crowd for him.  
  
Acting quickly, he scooped a surprised Skuld up into his arms. "I'd better get you out of here, where do you live?"  
  
Skuld pointed and the two took off. After a few moments of initial misgivings, she snuggled into his arms and enjoyed the trip.  
  
******  
  
The Next Day  
  
Nabiki blearily woke up and stretched. The noise from last nights 'Ranma Search" and the subsequent fight that'd occurred once he returned home, had almost made her regret selling the fact he'd gone to the movies without his fiancées, to the usual pack of loonies.  
  
Almost.  
  
Leaving her room, Nabiki trudged down the stairs and froze when she got to the bottom. For there was Ranma, running barefoot, along the side of the walls.  
  
"Morning Nabiki." He said as he dashed by. She blinked and rubbed her eyes. No good, he was still doing it.  
  
"Breakfast is ready!" Kasumi called from the kitchen. Hearing this, Ranma flipped off the wall and landed. A big grin was on his face for a moment, but it fell fairly quickly.  
  
Gathering her wits, Nabiki approached him. "Saotome, what was that about?"  
  
"I thought I did it, but that was really just an exercise in balance." He sighed heavily. "Gotta figure out how to do it." He muttered as he strolled to the kitchen.  
  
Nabiki looked after him, wondering what he was talking about.  
  
*******  
  
Cat cafe  
  
Shampoo turned as the doorbell jingled, expecting a new customer, instead she found Ranma. Who proceeded to glomp her just as she was about to glomp him, and even more surprising gave her a kiss on the cheek. The shock of her Airen's odd actions rooted her in place. Her eyes tried to search his to understand what was going on, but he was not looking at her, but over her shoulder. She tracked his gaze to where Mount Saint Mousse was currently erupting.  
  
"Saotome! UNHAND SHAMPOO!!" the myopic warrior screamed, which Ranma did before darting outside.  
  
Mousse pursued, with Shampoo following a moment later. Once outside she saw an odd sight, Mousse was hurling the entire contents of his robes at Ranma who was standing in place, and bending crazily to avoid them. Considering the speed at which Mousse was unleashing his arsenal, she figured Ranma would eventually take a hit. Yet it never happened. As mousse increased the number of objects thrown per second, Ranma increased his speed. So it went for several long minutes, until finally Mousse reached into his cloak and found, nothing.  
  
Ranma, realizing he was out of ammo stood up straight and sighed. "No more huh?" Mousse just shook his head, dumbfounded.  
  
Ranma glanced back at the 10 foot high piled of weapons that'd accumulated against the wall. "Oh well, I'll have to think of something else." With that he took off for the roofs.  
  
Mousse turned to shampoo "What was that all about.  
  
The amazons could only shrug in reply.  
  
*****  
  
A week later  
  
Nabiki raced through the school, one of her factors told her a major fight was going on, and she'd be darned if she miss out on the chance to hold bets on this. However, when she got there the sight froze her. For just outside the school grounds, Ranma was fighting every martial artist in Nerima, a good portion from some surrounding prefectures and a lot of foreigner fighters as well.  
  
And he was winning.  
  
Now those calls he'd made and the letters Ranma had sent out earlier this week made sense. They were all challenges.  
  
Fist, feet, and weapons of all types were trying to connect with the human whirlwind, but to no avail. Ranma literally danced around them and retaliated.  
  
The entire school watched with awe as the fight raged, Saotome seemingly unstoppable. Then it happened, someone managed to trip him up. Once down, the group of fighters, by unspoken consensus, dog piled him. Yet just when everyone figured he was out, the pile of bodies erupted into the air. Bodies fell like rain as Ranma rose to his feet, like a god amongst lesser beings. He stood at the ready, waiting for another attack, which never came. He'd won, and after a few moments he seemed almost disappointed by it.  
  
Picking her way through the unconscious forms Nabiki stood before Ranma. "Ranma." She began  
  
"Still didn't attain it." He said, then turned and trudged dejectedly away.  
  
******  
  
Later that day  
  
All the parties interested in Ranma, were gathered at the Tendo home, as they'd been called together by Nabiki. "All right," She began "I'm sure we've all noticed that Ranma's been acting differently in the past week right?" She gazed at everyone in turn as they nodded. "Well we're here to determine why."  
  
"So what do you know Nabiki." Ukyo asked  
  
"Well, as you all know, a little over a week ago Ranma went to see the movie "Matrix Reloaded". What you don't know is that he went with some girl named Skuld. Now I don't know what she said or did to.  
  
"WHAT!!" the fathers roared. "HE TOOK SOMEONE ELSE TO THE THEATERS BESIDES AKANE!!!" Similar statements were made by the other factions a moment later.  
  
Nabiki frowned "Wait, wait that's not the issue here."  
  
"Oh yes it is, sugar!" Shampoo agreed with her rival.  
  
"I'll kill him!" Akane said. "Trying to add yet another girl to his harem!!"  
  
At that moment, Ranma entered from the dojo, "Hey guys." He said and continued out the front door.  
  
"Hey Ran..." Ukyo began, then it registered. "Ran-chan wait!" she said, taking off after him, the rest of the crew right behind her.  
  
Once out side they found Ranma staring at the sky, an honest smile on his face. "Boy! What is the meaning of all this!!" Genma demanded.  
  
Ranma turned his gaze upon them. The happiness evident their disturbing them all. "All week I've been trying to reach the next new level, and finally I've don't it."  
  
Akane glared at him "What are you talking about?"  
  
His smile grew. "I learned what I was missing, faith, and I have it now."  
  
"Boy what have I told you about religion, it's a sop for the masses!"  
  
"Yeah that's what you told me." He admitted. "But you didn't want me to think that I'd every have to answer to a higher authority than you pop. But I know the truth now." He shook his head sadly at his father. "I see it all so clearly now."  
  
"Boy you will." Before Genma could finish, Ranma dropped into a crouch as the ground rippled away from him, then shot off into the air. As he grew more and more distant, the Nerima residents watched in awe. From which they were bought out of when Nabiki fainted.  
  
******  
  
Author Notes: Just a short bit of fun, don't take it seriously. 


	4. GW 04

Prodigal Son  
  
By Metaverse  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters nor am I making any money from this. Please do not sue me.  
  
It was a lazy afternoon in Nerima. School was out and for once Ranma was Not involved in death duels with any of the random or usual crowd of martial artist that trooped through Nerima on a regular basis. As such he was able to enjoy the afternoon sun, while he lay stretched out on the back porch of the Tendo home.  
  
Thus it was that Nabiki found him, "Hey Ranma, letter for you."  
  
The pig-tailed martial artist cracked an eye open before sitting all the way Up, stifling a yawn as he did so. "Whose it from?" he asked.  
  
Ranma noted that the middle Tendo daughter seemed to actually have to work at keeping her normal manor of bored disinterest. "A friend of my family." She stated simply as she handed the letter to him.  
  
Ranma tore into the note as she took a seat across from him, and began to read.  
  
Dear Ranma Saotome.  
  
I am not a challenger or a potential fiancée, I do however have A vested interest in your stay at the Tendo home and the arrangement between your father and Mr. Tendo. I wish to discuss these matters with you. Please meet me at the Akies down on fifth street at 8 pm sharp. I look forward to meeting you.  
  
T.T.  
  
Ranma leaned forward to look at the clock in the main room and noticed He had a few hours before he was due to meet this person. If someone Was actually willing to talk something out instead of leaping into battle he was all or it. It'd be a nice change of pace.  
  
Sitting back he realized that Nabiki seemed to be watching him rather intensely. "What?"  
  
"Nothing." She said as she stood and began to walk away.  
  
Ranma watched her go. Unsure of what was up. Deciding to let it go he took another look at the note, and tried to figure out what was going to happen.  
  
******  
  
The restaurant was one of those family places that'd been popular of late. A warm atmosphere and the smell of baking bread greeted him as he swung open the door and entered. For a moment he let himself enjoy the sights of happy families chattering about their day and the smell of good food being prepared.  
  
As he glanced about he saw dark haired young man waving him over the both he was sharing with a young girl. He couldn't make her out as he approached the corner both they occupied because her back was too him. The man however he could see pretty well. He looked to be about 18 with long dark hair and a strong face and gentle brown eyes. He wore a blue button down shirt that was open, exposing the white t-shirt underneath. His tan pants became visible as sat down next to him.  
  
He extended a hand to the young Saotome "Nice to finale metcha. Names Toshiro Tendo, but my friends call me Toshi.  
  
Ranma took the hand and shook it uncertainly. "Toshiro.TENDO? Any relation to."  
  
A recognizable female voice answered his questions. "He's Daddies eldest Son and Kasumi's fraternal twin." The girl answered.  
  
Ranma turned from the smiling visage of Toshiro to that of Nabiki Tendo. "Wha..?"  
  
"Articulate as always Saotome." She chuckled  
  
Toshiro's voice brought him back around. "This will take some explaining."  
  
----  
  
Ranma rubbed his temples as he digested what he'd just been told. "Okay, let me see if I've got this straight. Your Mr. Tendo's eldest son and at one point was his heir to the Tendo school."  
  
Toshiro nodded "right."  
  
Ranma rested his hands on the tabletop. "Then a couple of years before I arrive you have a major falling out, over the fact you wanted to live your own life and follow your mother's heritage."  
  
"Daddy felt his only concern should be the dojo."  
  
Ranma nodded. "So he kicks you out and now you come back to. what?"  
  
The conversation was interrupted as the waitress brought drinks, and then took their orders.  
  
Toshiro took a sip of his soda. "It's time father had to face a few things, like reality. The way he's relied on Nabiki to fund the Dojo will end."  
  
Ranma agreed whole-heartedly, he never could say much because of his guest status in the house but they way Soun lazed about the house while his daughter slaved to put food on the table had irked him. Thus much of the money he did earn when he could make it went to Nabiki, and it was also the reason he only put up a token resistance to the photos she took and sold of him. "So what do you plan to do?"  
  
"Actually he's already done it." Nabiki supplied as she lifted a cup to her lips  
  
Seeing the curiosity on his face Toshiro decided to elaborate. "Ranma do you think that Nabiki honestly makes enough cash from her side business to support a family?"  
  
"I guess not, but how else.."  
  
"I pay for the home's expenses." he said.  
  
Ranma's cup stopped midway to his mouth "What? How!? And If so why is Nabiki doing all that blackmail?"  
  
The middle Tendo winced a bit. "Daddy would never accept help from him he's too mad at him and too proud for that. So we set it up to look like I was doing all that so he wouldn't question where the money was coming from."  
  
"Wait, so all that crap you've pulled."  
  
"Mostly cover Saotome."  
  
He gave her a side-glance "Mostly?"  
  
Amusement touched her features "I'll admit, some of it was in good fun."  
  
Ranma considered as he took another drink. "So where do I come in."  
  
Toshiro decided to be blunt. "Aside from owning the Tendo home I'm also the recognized head of the clan, and before you ask, let's just say I have some highly placed friends who owe me big. Anyways as such, I'm dissolving the Tendo Saotome Agreement."  
  
Ranma almost spit his drink out. " *cough* WHAT?!"  
  
Toshiro handed him a few napkins. "I'm dissolving the arrangement. Don't take it personally, I just don't think either of you are ready for the commitment of marriage. Heck I KNOW Akane isn't. If you marry now it'll only cause pain and suffering down the road."  
  
Ranma couldn't find fault with this as it mirrored much of his own musings on the matter of late. There was still to much to do before getting tied down now. "So you wanted me here to?"  
  
"Gauge your reaction." He took a sip of his drink. "I want to know how you feel about my sister."  
  
"How do I feel?"  
  
Nabiki set down her drink. "Let's be honest here Saotome, for good or ill you have feelings for Akane. What those feelings are, and how deep they go can really only be known by you."  
  
Feeling pressured the pig-tailed son of Genma fell back on routine. "Hey It's not like I love that.." And trailed off as Toshiro stared at him.  
  
"I never said that you loved her, in fact I'm willing to bet you don't know  
  
what love is."  
  
Ranma's mouth opened and closed, unsure how to answer to that.  
  
"Look Ranma, all I'm really trying to do is give you and Akane the space to figure something's out. If you two decide to marry for love, I shall not interfere, if you decide to part ways, I'm fine with that as well."  
  
"Dissolving the engagement ain't enough." He said "I still have to live with her and I know pops and Mr. Tendo." Nabiki's chuckle interrupted his line of reasoning. "What?"  
  
"Saotome, don't you think my brother knows his own father by now?" Nabiki looked very amused by the situation.  
  
"Well yeah I guess but."  
  
"Ranma." Toshiro began. "I also came here to offer you a way out from under the influence of your parents. You see I have a three-bedroom two-bathroom apartment I'm moving into and I need one more room mate to make it work."  
  
Ranma immediately perked up at the idea of having his own place (sort of) away from all the loonies, then reality hit and he bowed his head. "I can't afford something like that."  
  
Toshiro shrugged and took another pull from his drink. "Get a job then, teach some self defense class at the Y. Besides you only need to cover food, I'm covering housing and Nabiki's covering furnishings & utilities."  
  
Ranma blinked "Nabiki?"  
  
"Well I needed a room mate and I've lived with her before so it won't be a problem."  
  
'"Sides," Nabiki added. "Living under daddies roof is getting somewhat stifling."  
  
"So, Ranma" Toshiro began "what do you say?"  
  
It didn't take much thought, after all, when you came right down to it. If he wanted to live his own life this was his one shot at it. "I accept."  
  
*****  
  
Author Notes:  
  
I'll stop here for now.  
  
I can see this going in some interesting directions. Ranma Nabiki and Toshiro trying To adjust to living together as well as having the usual Nerima crew and regular problems follow them to their new home. Plus Soun will not be happy with his eldest son and will seek to right the injustices he feels were done to him. Not to mention the work Toshiro does is fairly hazardous and brings problems of it's own.  
  
Nabiki loves her older brother as it was with his help that she got over their mother's death. Akane is jealous of him and his talent while, Kasumi is still mad at him for things he did in his Youth.  
  
Toshiro is not innocent. As he'd tell Ranma in a later scene he came to his senses at the age of 16, after he'd broken a lot of hearts and did emotional harm to a lot of Kasumi's friends. Which is why they don't talk to her anymore. His carousing and ability to cause mayhem earned him the nick name, Terrible Toshiro Tendo, or "Triple T" for short in the Nerima ward, and he is famous for number of girls he slept with and the havoc he caused. In the last few years he's repented his evil ways, but still feels a great amount of guilt for the pain he caused.  
  
He slept with women, as a way to feel loved even for a moment, and he caused trouble to get his father's attention. Soun only wanted and heir and cared little for his sons emotional well-being, thus he ignored these cries for help. 


	5. GW 05

Child of Dune  
  
By metaverse  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters nor am I making  
  
any money from this. Please do not sue me.  
  
----  
  
Shaddam IV former emperor of the known universe, considered the information he'd been given on his background for his new life in this backwards world.  
  
When approached about being given a second chance from the God of War He'd been skeptical but once it'd been reveled exactly where his eternal soul Was going for his actions in life he'd quickly reconsidered. A lifetime on This mud ball was far preferable to eternal damnation. Besides it was not without its charms.  
  
He glanced up as his secretary entered his vast office and set a cup of coffee upon his Desk along with the daily reports. Once she was gone he looked them over for a second before returning to the more important information on the PDA before him.  
  
As far as this world was concerned he was Padishah Shaddam, owner of one of the largest and most influential international corporations this world had ever seen. Named interestingly enough, Imperium Incorporated. Telecommunications, Medicine, Military hardware and much more was under the scope of his company. The only thing they were not doing was A. I. Research, something he was glad about. Different universe or not, he still refused to have a hand in creating thinking machines.  
  
One thing that had truly pleased him was finding the background on his crack team of corporate lawyers that'd been nicknamed 'The Sardukar' and were as ruthless  
  
And effective in court as his old troops were on the battlefield.  
  
Looking at the PDA then to his watch, he realized he needed to get going. He leaned Over to the speaker com and ordered his limo brought around. It was time to pick up Ranma.  
  
----  
  
The trial had been laughably short. The Saotome lawyer had been out numbered outgunned and horrendously outclassed. He'd attempted to point out Shaddam's busy schedule as well as his lack of experience in parenting as reason not to Transfer custody.  
  
Then his lawyers had stepped to the plate. Evidence of broken deals, petty theft, and child abuse not to mention the seppuku contract signed by a minor to young to understand what they were doing, and the Jury was damn near ready to consider Shaddam his biological father.  
  
Now six months later Shaddam was sitting out back of his beach side home in California watching the waves and his son train with some of his security personnel  
  
One of the things that Shaddam had been amazed at was the boy's ability to learn, once He applied himself. By explaining benegeserit teaching as martial arts training the boy Had jumped at it. Now the boy was advancing faster than he was ready to teach, same With the Mentat training though Ranma didn't know he was going through, as was normal. Fairly soon he'd need more competent teachers to keep pace with his talents  
  
Little Ranma managed to use one of the security agents own weight to flip him over, Then feigned a punch at one, then dropped to cut his legs out from under him. All While Shaddam watched.  
  
He lifted his glass of wine in toast to his son.  
  
----  
  
Ranma accepted a glass of juice from the stewardess then settled into his oversized Chair. He looked out the window to see the clouds slipping by as the jet made its way To the land of his birth. He took a sip as he considered the advantages of being the Son of an ungodly rich businessman. His teachers in the art had been the Best his fathers Money could buy, like those Chinese amazons who'd been more than willing to share techniques for medical supplies and a promise from the Chinese government to leave them alone. The latter had been a little difficult to arrange but Ranma found that one He got someone alone and had a chance to use the voice; there wasn't much he couldn't Get. Thankfully he only used his powers for good, mostly his own. Heh!  
  
The sound of the first few seconds of "Ode to Joy." Alerted him to a call. He grabbed His cell phone, and flipped it open. "Hello."  
  
"Hello Ranma."  
  
A grin split the youths face as he identified the voice. "Sebastian Valmont, you old Scoundrel! How are you?"  
  
"Alive thanks to you. I don't want to thing what would've happened if you hadn't been in the city that summer. I'm sure I never would've made it to the hospital in time."  
  
Ranma smiled "Hey what are friends for. So how are things going with Annete?"  
  
"Surprisingly well. I must admit this new leaf is still a little odd to me but I think I could get used to it."  
  
"Well, that's good. So what did you call about?"  
  
"I thought you'd like to know that my sister was expelled from school."  
  
Ranma blinked honestly surprised "How did that happen?"  
  
"I came clean. Handed out copies of my journal to all the students, and faculty. They were quite upset with her afterwards."  
  
Ranma stared ahead of him for a second, and then a smile grew on his face. "Sebastian you have more guts than I thought."  
  
"Thank you. Now, how things going for you?"  
  
"Fine, just a little nervous about Japan. Way to many social rules to keep track of not to mention the normal difficulties of running division in a foreign country."  
  
"If I remember your making software correct?"  
  
"Yup, we're translating everything from our OS to games into Japanese as well as developing some products of our own for that market." He sighed "The numbers are going to be interesting to deal with though."  
  
A snort came over the line "This from the man who could do quantum Mathematics in his head and just got his degree at 16 years of age."  
  
"Hey, that doesn't make me some kind of superman. I'm human just like you."  
  
"Hmm, I wonder sometimes." The both laughed, "Well I have to go, I do want you to promise me you'll try to go on a few dates though."  
  
"Well, if I have the time."  
  
"Make time Ranma. Take care."  
  
"You to."  
  
Ranma closed up his phone and was about to put it away when it rang again.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Ranma.."  
  
Ranma grabbed a sheet of paper from the table. "Oh, hello father. What do you need?"  
  
"I just wanted to say..That I'll miss you son."  
  
Ranma nearly dropped the Paper. "Da.Dad.I..I'll miss you to."  
  
"well, I'll let you get back to work. Be careful Ranma."  
  
"I will, you to dad."  
  
Ranma hung up the phone, and smiled.  
  
The end for now  
  
Author: I figured if Misato could raise Ranma, why not Shaddam  
  
Many places this could go, Genma will want his son back, as well as the money in his trust account, and who knows Nabiki as his secretary could be interesting as well. However I shall leave if here for now. 


	6. GW 06

Odd Destiny  
  
By Metaverse  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters nor am I making  
  
any money from this. Please do not sue me.  
  
Ranma tore around the corner, just ahead of a vast mob made up of Nerima residents. It'd all started a half an hour ago when he'd been chasing Happosai away from some poor woman's panties that'd been hanging out to dry. He did not know how, but from there things had quickly escalated to the current state of affairs.  
  
Before him ran the perverted old master of anything goes, a sack of ill gotten undergarments slung over his shoulder. Behind him were the assembled martial artist & other whacko that infested Nerima and the area around her. All determined to catch up with him or with someone else in the crowd.  
  
Ranma grimaced at the thought of the destruction likely to occur once this crowd finally caught up with him. At least they were near an area that was due for renovations.  
  
He once again focused his attention to the front, where he found a somewhat curious sight. For just ahead of Happosai, a young man casually leaned against a wall, his head was bowed, while his arms were folded over his chest. The youth was wearing black pants and a white shirt with a dark red jacket pulled over it, and a black & red baseball cap adorning his head.  
  
Something in Ranma twisted as a sense of dislocation swept through him, whilst the world seemed to throb around him. All of which he knew had to do with this man, but the why escaped him.  
  
Ranma was seriously considering cutting short his pursuit of Happosai to investigate this sensation and this man when the point was made mute. For as the ancient lecher hopped by the leaning youth, his hands snapped up, and clasped together, the index fingers on both hands were extended up and touching, while words passed through the mans moving lips.  
  
Although he couldn't hear them, there effect was immediate and impressive. Happosai, became trapped in a 7 sided star cage, which upon closer inspection Ranma realized had been created by 7 sprit wards that's been placed in the old freaks path. Ranma watched as the pervert railed against his prison, wielding all his tricks to no avail.  
  
A loud crash made him turn to find that the mob had run into a wall of energy whose origins were similar to that of Happosai's cage.  
  
"Impressive right?" an oddly familiar voice said.  
  
Ranma whirled back to find the strange man had snuck up on him, him of all people "Who are you?"  
  
A smirk touched the man's bowed face. With great show, he lifted his eyes to the young master of anything goes and took off his hat, so there would be no mistake.  
  
Ranma's own sharp intake of breath was drowned out by the gasp from people in the crowd close enough to see this man's face, which was Ranma's own. It was a little older, a little more well defined, but it was him. "Wha..?"  
  
The other Ranma smiled. "Yeah I had a hard time believing it myself all those years ago." he admitted.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Ranma snapped, then froze, as an odd tingling swept through his body.  
  
"Guess it's about that time." The other Ranma said while looking at his watch.  
  
The tingling increased, and the world began to fade. Ranma's head snapped up to this other self. "What are you doing to me!"  
  
The other pursed his lips. "In all honesty, nothing." Seeing the youths disbelieving gaze he shrugged. "I know you don't believe me. Heck I didn't believe me all those years ago, but it's the truth. The party behind it will be known to you soon enough, don't worry. Besides." Here he smiled, not unlike a cat. "Your gonna love what's about to happen, trust me."  
  
Confusion filled Ranma, then he tried to grab this other self, intending to ring more information out of this man, when reality shifted and changed. As the world snapped back into focus, the drain of his travel finally caught up with him and he fainted.  
  
------  
  
The older Ranma stared at the spot his younger self had just left. "Good luck." He said quietly, knowing there wasn't any point in saying them, but it wouldn't have felt right not either.  
  
His thoughts were brought back to the present as Happosai's rantings finally intruded on his musings.  
  
"YOU! Release me this instant or I shall show you the full power of anything goes!"  
  
Ranma snorted and turned, enjoying the shock on the old freaks face as he finally got a good look at him. He crouched next to the imprisoned master "Sorry old man but your staying there, at least till that angry mob of women over their catch up to you." Ranma grinned nastily as he rose. "Have fun freak. I'll see you later." And with that he strode away. Happosai cursing him the whole time.  
  
-----  
  
Several hours later.  
  
The Tendo dojo had an unusual amount of guest over early that evening. Even more surprising to some was that the assembled elements were fairly volatile to one another normally in close proximity, yet tonight they had a tense agreement not to fight.  
  
For the last hour the various witnesses to this afternoon's oddness had been spilling ever scrape of information they'd gleaned about it to their elders, in hopes of understanding just what was going on.  
  
"So let's me see of I have this all straight." Nabiki began. "An OLDER version of Ranma appears, cages Happosai with magic then sends the younger Ranma away?"  
  
Ukyo shakes her head. "I was close enough to hear them sugar. He didn't do it something.else did."  
  
"Is true Shampoo heard as well. Yet older airen made no attempt to help either."  
  
"I wonder why." Kasumi mused. Most of the room wondered the same thing.  
  
"You know." A new voice began "Ya could just ask me."  
  
The room turned as one to find the older Ranma leaning against the wall near the entrance to the living room. A chorus of Ranma's and other such reached his ears as everyone reacted to his appearance, with varying degrees of approval, and demands for answers.  
  
Nodoka eventually managed to calm the group down. "Now son, you are my son right?" A smile and nod was her answer, but it was enough, for now. "Just what is going on?!"  
  
Ranma seemed to consider them all for a second before shrugging. "Well, the short of it is that I've been, or was, sent six years into the past. You all saw that happen today with my younger self. The details of that are irrelevant to you. Now that that's happened I can talk to you all without worrying about screwing up the time stream."  
  
Various looks passed around the room, but disbelief was chief amongst them. To prove himself, Ranma first began reciting intimate details about certain people, things only he and they knew, then went on to tell them about stuff that happened six years ago to many of them, that the original Ranma could not have known.  
  
Once finished he gazed around the room. "Believe me now?" Many nods answered "Good."  
  
"Well boy." Genma began "What've you been doing all this time?"  
  
"Training with some friends, lending a hand where I can. Nothing much I guess, just keeping busy."  
  
Cologne spoke up next. "Care to explain the trick with the spirit wards son- in-law?"  
  
"Sumaragi secret." He said, a wry grin on his face. Cologne however was honestly surprised, and grudgingly impressed.  
  
More question were staring to be asked, forcing Ranma to hold his hand up for quiet. "Whoa whoa whoa! Hold on now, since your all here there's something we need to discus."  
  
"Like why you have an enjoyment ring on your hand?" Nabiki asked.  
  
He smiled sheepishly. "Actually that's what I wanted to talk to you all about."  
  
"Raaannma!" Mount St. Akane began to rise.  
  
Ranma was uncharacteristically unfazed. "Four years ago I met a girl, asked her to marry me six months ago, she said yes. Were to be married in three months time. Now before you."  
  
"YOU JERK!" Akane had moved passed shock into blind rage and was charging the Pig-tailed time traveler, mallet raised high. Only to run into a shield wall generated by a spirit ward, placed next to the door. Akane bounced off the wall of energy and landed flat on her butt. Ranma frowned "Now as I was going to say, since I'm getting married That ends whatever engagements you all had planned. To my friends, I'm sorry but I figure a clean break is better than a loveless marriage. To those who don't like this tough nuggies."  
  
The room erupted into chaos as the various people made their displeasure known. Ranma started pulling out more spirit wards. "Seeing as none of you are willing to deal with this right now, I'll just leave." Ranma hung a ward in the air and waited, as a circular vortex took form. "Cut's down on the number of invites at least." He muttered as he stepped through, leaving the various people yelling at empty space.  
  
The end for now  
  
Author Notes: This is a Ranma X TV cross over. Ranma was involved in the Dragon seal fight, though his responsibilities were to protect Hinato. Unable to face the might of a dragon he helped mostly by teaching the seals how to defend themselves. However the only life he managed to save was that of Hinato's. He and Kamui figured out what was going on with her a good deal earlier and Ranma, with his cousin Subaru help was able to save her. That was three years ago.  
  
The process by which he saved her, cost him his ability to practice advanced martial artist, and her ability to see the future, however, she can see and speak as a regular girl can. Over time, they have grown closer as Ranma introduces her to the world she fought for but never got to enjoy.  
  
He's close friends with all those who survived, though Fuuma & Subaru are like brothers to him. Though unable to do things like the Hiryu Shonten ha or the Amigurken he has managed to replace those abilities with the spirit magic taught to him by Fuuma and Subaru, and even a little wind magic taught to him by Aoki.  
  
This was done just to get this scene out of my head, if you want it, take it. After e-mailing me of course. 


	7. GW 07

Dual Self  
  
By Metaverse  
  
Ranma/MGS work.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters nor am I making any money from this. Please do not sue me.  
  
Nabiki tiredly watched as one Ranma Saotome flowed around the attacks of one Kuno Tatawaki. Long ago Nabiki had stopped taking bets as the outcome was a foregone conclusion. Ranma would toy with the Kendoist, getting him all good and mad, then trounce him casually. Heck, you could set your watch to it, so there was no point in betting on it anymore.  
  
Nabiki was stifling a yawn, just as a car backfired. She glanced up and noticed the old vehicle ambling down the street. She turned her attention back to the "fight". Surprise and horror made themselves known, as she gaped at what she saw. For there was Ranma, who'd somehow managed to slip around Kuno, as well as disarm him, and currently held him in some kind of chokehold. No not a chokehold.  
  
"Ranma! Stop it you'll kill him!!" she cried out.  
  
...he was trying to break Kuno's neck.  
  
Kuno was frantically squirming as he realized, through the veil of madness that usually clouded his mind, that he was about to die.  
  
Nabiki observed that a dark stain started to spread around Kuno's crotch area. She ignored this for the moment, and screamed again for Ranma to stop. This time the pig-tailed youth heard her, and turned his head to look at her. Her voice caught as she saw the cold hatred therein. These were not the eyes of the nicely-arrogant young martial artist she'd been living with, these were the eyes of a manslayer, a person who'd long since gotten used to killing.  
  
Frozen by his gaze, she was unable to yell out to him again, but thankfully she didn't need to. Slowly, the bemused expression of Ranma Saotome reasserted itself. "Nabiki..? What's wro.." Then he realized what he was doing.  
  
For a moment he stared at his arms as if they were another entity all together, unable to comprehend why they were doing this. Then he acted.  
  
Kuno landed in a heap, shaken, but otherwise unharmed, and stared in rapt terror at the boy who'd nearly ended his life.  
  
Ranama, for his part, was looking at his hands. disgust and horror warring over his face as he looked at the appendages that'd nearly killed.  
  
Nabiki briefly considered going down there and trying to figure out what was going on. But the chance was taken from her forever with a cry of "RAAANNNMAAA!!"  
  
Akane Tendo charged across the front yard, mallet raised high, and for a brief moment Nabiki feared for her sisters life. For the cold hatred resurfaced on the young man's face as he dropped his hands to his side's. Akane's legs managed to eat up the distance, while this other Ranma merely flexed his fingers, almost as if he was relishing the idea of getting his hands around her neck. But at the last second Saotome reasserted control, and merely held himself still, allowing Akane to knock him out.  
  
Nabiki said a silent thank you to the young man, and made a note to erase his debts. For she was sure that he'd taken that blow out of fear that the other self would regain control and kill her sister.  
  
She pushed herself from the window and turned around. There she found slack jawed stares of her classmates, all of them rooted to their positions at the windows unable to do anything but gawk.  
  
Kami-sama knew that Nabiki would like nothing more than to sit down and take this all in, but she had to move quickly for her family's sake & Ranma's as well.  
  
****  
  
Several hours later  
  
Ranma was laid out, still unconscious in the main room. Most of the concerned parties were patiently milled about, waiting for the last member of their group to return. Xian pu & Ukyo, for once put aside their differences and concentrated on making the young Saotome comfortable in his sleep, and so far seemed successful. Kasumi made sure everyone had some snacks to keep their hunger at bay until this was settled. Nodoka just quietly wept over her fallen son while the fathers played a game of go. Though if you looked closely, which Nabiki did out of habit, you could tell that something was bothering Genma, he wasn't cheating as much as he should've been.  
  
Akane for her part had long since finished railing about what a jerk Ranma was and seemed to know be honestly considering just how alien his actions this morning had been. With that realization came fear, for her life, which she masked with anger, so for now she just fumed over the situation.  
  
Nabiki pretended to channel surf, while keeping an eye on all the volatile parties, doing what she could to keep the peace.  
  
"Wait stop." Tsubasa said.  
  
The here till silent assistants sudden words caused Nabiki to stop in her channel surfing, as everyone turned to the TV.  
  
The anchor on screen grimly read the report that'd just been handed to him. "The City of New York suffered a major catastrophe today as a giant bipedal robot crashed through several buildings, until finally stopping. Officials are being tight lipped about the incident, but assure the public they have everything under control."  
  
"So far no terrorist organization has come forward to claim responsibility for the attack."  
  
A slow pan from a helicopter gave a wide shot of the machine in question, and Nabiki was forced to admit that it was huge.  
  
"Huh, another Metal Gear."  
  
Everyone turned to look at Ranma, who was slowly sitting up, and shaking his head clear of cobwebs. Xian pu's & Ukyo's instinctual reaction was to grab and squeeze the life out of the young man. However, an upraised hand from his mother forestalled their movements, and gave him a chance to orient himself.  
  
"How long was I out?" he asked as he glanced about at the assembled people.  
  
"It's about two in the afternoon Ranma." Nabiki supplied helpfully  
  
"Ranma blinked then chuckled a bit. "Heh, I guess Akane really nailed me that time."  
  
"Actually son, " his mother began, interrupting Akane before she could respond to what she saw as some kind of insult. "Ku Lon suggested we keep you under sedation for a bit."  
  
Ranma blinked at the news "Oh.So where is she."  
  
"Right here Son-in-law." The old matriarch of the Amazons said as she pogoed her way to him from the kitchen, a large sack slung over her shoulders. "Just needed to get some items ready."  
  
"For what?"  
  
She hoped off her staff before him and began pulling out a few items from the sack, most of which were stones that she began arranging around Ranma. "You and I are going to do a little dream walking." She paused to make sure the circle was arranged appropriately, before turning to face the young Saotome. "In this way I hope to determine just what posed you this morning." She then began inscribing runes.  
  
"Wait just a minute." Soun began "Why should you go with him, I feel it would be better for either myself or Saotome to go while you watch!"  
  
"Yeah it would..What?" Genma added.  
  
The elder shook her head. "Put your petty fears aside and think. Of all of us here I am the one best suited to aid Ranma in confronting this."  
  
"Elder, I truly wish to believe you, however your people do have a reputation for employing mind altering techniques."  
  
Ku lon sighed and glared at Xian pu who bowed her head in shame. "Such tactics were entirely planned but my great-granddaughter. Who has been properly chastised for her actions in that regard." She turned to regard the Saotome matriarch "However if you wish, I shall promise not to Influence Ranma's mind in such a fashion."  
  
Nodoka still looked unsure, so she turned to Ranma. "I feel I would be the best to help you son-in-law, but if you wish for another to walk with you I shall understand."  
  
Ranma blinked realizing that for once he was actually being given a choice about something. That plus Ku Lon's earlier statement cinched it for him. "Okay, I thank you for your help."  
  
The elder Amazon inclined her head, and then pulled out an ornate goblet inlaid with a gold dragon chasing its tail. From a small thermos she poured a thick black liquid into it and offered it to him. "It will be bitter, but by the both of us drinking this, we shall share your dream."  
  
He nodded and took a pull from the goblet then handed it to Ku lon who did the same. After which she handed it to shampoo.  
  
Ranma yawned once, followed by the elder, and the two quickly lay down and were soon fast asleep as the concerned face of friends and family watched on.  
  
****  
  
It'd been hours, or at least seemed like it, since Ranma & Ku lon had awakened in his mindscape. The place, he'd quickly noted, seemed foreign and yet familiar to him at the same time. Modern and ancient Chinese & Japanese architecture styles were the call of the day. Often mixing in odd, but beautiful arrangements. People and faces he'd not seen in years, or only dimly remembered were snapped into focus here as they went about their lives in his mind. Some managing the various needs of himself, and others just living as he would always dream them to live. Or at least that's what Ku Lon had told him.  
  
So far, her guidance had been most helpful, especially in choosing a direction & course of action. So after some talk they'd headed to the center of the city, where they hoped to find some representations of himself that could help him better determine a course of action.  
  
When they got there what they found stopped Ranma in his tracks. "Is that supposed to be me?"  
  
There at the heart of a pagoda rested a marble image of Ranma Saotome, but gone was the cocky grin and easy way that normally marked his stance and in it's place stood the image of a tired but determined young man. Even the eyes, Ranma marveled, gave off a sense of untamed willpower.  
  
"That my dear boy is your core self. It is you without the fetters and expectations that all you've met and lived with, have placed on you." She nodded as she looked the statue over. "An impressive sight I must say."  
  
Ranma, so transfixed by the image, almost didn't notice the three figures that guarded the steps in front of it. When he finally did look, he found his female self on the left, dressed like the main Heroine from that movie "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". In the middle, a child-like version of himself sat in more modern clothes and was studiously reading from a book, while several scrolls were arranged around him. Finally, on the right, lay a giant Siberian tiger.  
  
"Your female side, inner childe, and the Neko-ken respectively" Cologne supplied helpfully  
  
Ranma nodded to her. Meanwhile the boy finally looked up from his book. "Oh hello!" He said cheerily as he shut his text "I'd wondered if you'd ever come down here."  
  
"'bout time too." The female said, then waged a finger accusingly in his face. "You almost never listen to us, much to your detriment I might add."  
  
The Tiger for it's part, merely studied him intently for a moment before going back to sleep.  
  
"Er.sorry but I never figured I was very intelligent," he said to the kid by way of apology. Then, turning to his female self. "And I know I have no interest in getting in touch with my feminine side."  
  
A cherubic smile blossomed on the boys face, as he shook his head. "Come come Ranma, you're a talented enough fighter to keep up with Happosai and even hand him a few defeats, not to mention your ability to stand up to Ku lon."  
  
He shrugged "Well yeah but that's fighting."  
  
"Tsk Tsk, I assure you Ranma, the same excellence you show in a fight, you can show in your school work, but you have to want to do it." Seeing his doubtful look, the youth sighed. "At least try a little harder, okay. For me?"  
  
"Oh all right, but it's not like I know what to do."  
  
"Phase it into your training. Fighting Genma or Ryoga while trying to do math in your head should increase the challenge."  
  
Ku Lon marvled at how the thought of an increased challenge made Ranma's face light up. If only she'd been a bit more paitent she could've. a well, no time for such thoughts.  
  
The female frowned at the youth, reached a hand out a roughly yanked on his ear. "Look you clod, if you'd bothered to listen to me, you'd have Akane wrapped around your finger instead of hitting you in the head."  
  
Ranma pulled himself away and looked at her dubiously. "Yeah right, like what could my subconscious know about girls."  
  
The girl sighed dramatically and shook her head. "Let's see, analyzing people has become second nature to you, though you're only trained to apply that knowledge in a fight."  
  
Ranma folded his arms across his chest "Yeah so."  
  
She rapped him on the head twice "That means, dummy, that you know everything you need to know about Akane to play her like a harp from hell. Your just not good at applying it outside a fight, which is where *I* come in, get it?"  
  
Ranma's frowned "But I don't want to play her or anybody for that matter."  
  
"That's fine, but you could at least stop her from hitting you all the time."  
  
Ranma stared at the disconcerting image of his female self mirroring his stance and body language. "I'll think about."  
  
"Humph, best I'll get I guess."  
  
"Were getting off track." Ku Lon began. "Do any of you know what's causing this imbalance in Ranma?"  
  
"Well, I have a theory." the child began.  
  
"A meeting? And no one invited me?! I'm hurt!." Another voice interrupted him.  
  
Ranma & Ku Lon both noticed how the till now lethargic Neko sprang to life. Ears flat, tail twitching in agitation, a low rumble starting somewhere in his throat and grounding out through his teeth. The inner child suddenly found itself being protected by the female side, who'd immediately taken up a fighting stance before the child.  
  
Both Neko and the girl were facing to the left, tracking their gaze, the two martial artist found a man stepping out of the shadows. The fact that it was a man and not a boy wasn't lost on Cologne, nor was the fact that much of Ranma could be found in his face and gait. The only thing out of place was the pure malevolence the man brought with him. A quick look at her companion told her he noticed it all as well.  
  
The figure strolled forward, ignoring all save Ranma. He stopped and began to circle him, cataloging his features. Ku Lon, to her own chagrin gave way before him.  
  
Finally Ranma'd had enough. "And just who are you supposed to be?" he demanded  
  
The figure stopped in front him, a smirk firmly in place on his face, and bowed mockingly. "Pleased to meet you, Ranma." He straightened up and some how that smirk became even more infuriating. "I'd hoped you'd guess my name. But I can see that what's, troubling you is the nature of my game."  
  
A sharp intake of breath signaled his realization "ID, you are my ID aren't you."  
  
"At your service, so what brings you and the crone down to this level of your mind?"  
  
Ku Lon glared at him. "We seek answers to the reason for Ranma's imbalance."  
  
"Oh that." He said, amusement taking hold of him as his eyes glinted with secret. "Well, you know, it is about time Ranma met his son." ID turned his back on the two and slowly walked away.  
  
Ranma sputtered in outrage "What!"  
  
Ku Lon alit upon her staff and tapped his shoulder "He's speaking metaphorically Ranma." Seeing him calm down some, she turned back to the irritant. "Explain."  
  
ID glanced over its shoulder at them. Appearing now as an adult version of his female form. "Why, he's the creation of myself and Ranma." The face was sickeningly beatific as she turned herself and exposed her belly, which looked full with child. ID tenderly stroked the protuberance. "He's our little boy." ID said, alternating its mockingly adoring gaze between its belly and a disgusted Ranma. "And like a good son, he's done everything he can to please his daddy."  
  
"What do you mean!?" Ranma demanded, punctuating each syllable.  
  
ID, now free of the bulge and now in the form of an elegant red haired seductress sauntered up to Ranma. "I mean he protected his daddy from all the things he couldn't face. Such a good boy."  
  
"What things? When did this happen?" Ku Lon asked, growing more worried at the dire implications of what this beast was saying  
  
She turned a self-satisfied smirk on the matriarch of the amazons. "I'll let him tell you, it's better that way. However." When she turned back to Ranma her face was unlike any they'd both seen, and yet eerily familiarly as well. For she now had a form and figure the melded the elements of all the female suitors for Ranma's heart. The cloths and hair style where distinctly Xian pu's while the battle spatula strapped to her back was obviously Ukyo's. The legs belonged to Kodachi, while the face was Kasumi's, yet the eyes were Nabiki's, and the smile Akane's  
  
"What do you say Ranma darling." ID used her finger to lazily trace the outline of Ranma's bicep "Wanna make him some siblings, hmmm?"  
  
Ku Lon could feel the hate and rage of Ranam, crash into her like waves. Yet the youth refrained from acting rashly on his emotions. "No." he managed to fill the word with a enough scorn and contempt to make a marine blush.  
  
ID sighed loudly and stepped away. "Pity," The form returned to that of Ranma-chan However the eye's were black as pitch. "Well, your 'son' resides in the forest to the east." She smiled "He holds the answers you seek, and he alone holds the solution you must find. Good luck, you'll need it."  
  
With that, ID rejoined with the shadow from which it had formed.  
  
****  
  
Out in the real world the scene was unchanged. The assembled fiancées all tried to wait patiently for Ranma and the elder, even going as far as to talk with the others in hopes of taking their minds off the mental war that was likely happening. However, no matter what each found their gaze drifting back to the two prone forms on the floor.  
  
****  
  
Ranma & Ku lon stared in mute horror at the scene before them. The jungle was not unfamiliar to Ranma as his father had dragged him through one during the training trip, however, this one was strewn with broken bodies, all quite dead. The results of a battle that'd not yet ended, as there was still the occasional roar of automatic weapons fire.  
  
"What.what does all this mean?" he asked the diminutive elder.  
  
She shook her head, unsure of anything at this point. "A nightmare, a memory I don't know."  
  
Two men burst through a nearby wall of plants, both wore uniforms matching those of the dead, both swept the area with their guns, and both had the looks of tired and nearly panicking men.  
  
One made a quick hand motion, to which the other nodded as he covered his comrade who immediately dropped to one knee, while yanking a clip from his Ak-47 and flipped it. Ranma realized that the man had tapped two of the clips together, putting the ends opposite one another for a fast reload. Which made the concurring series of events all the more impressive.  
  
As the two observes watched the men, a green figure fell from the trees. Actually it propelled itself, as it moved to fast and at an angel to have dropped. The figure flashed past the man still standing, and disappeared into the forest floor. The man dropped his gun and clutched at his neck, which had already began to sprout forth a stead flow of his life's blood.  
  
At this point the other man had risen to his feet. Weapon loaded and ready when he turned and saw his partner dying before him. Whatever horrors he'd faced finally caught up with him as he pulled the trigger and frantically sprayed the entire area with gun fire. The other man went down as a few rounds cut short his desperate attempt to stifle the flow of blood.  
  
The staccato sound of fire deafened the observes in it's piercing clarity, as the flashes illuminated the panicked man. Them man regained control of himself and released the trigger, causing an oppressive silence to descend on the forest. The man scanned the area for several tentative moments before taking a halting step forward, just as a shadow rose from the ground behind him.  
  
It wasn't the speed of the thing, or even the fact that'd managed to close on the man as he fired that surprised Ranma. It was its height, the figure was barely half this man's size and his frame could not possible pack the power necessary for this slaughter, and yet there it was.  
  
The figure managed to leap up and secure it's arms around this man's neck, in one smooth flowing motion. Realizing his peril the man dropped his gun and tried to claw the thing from his back. His effort proved futile, as the small killer snapped his neck. The little slayer dropped to the ground as the lifeless body sank to the floor.  
  
Now a profound sense of dread descended upon Ranma as he watched this, thing. A horror unlike any he'd known and a familiarity as well. Part of him feared what this creature represented and part of him welcomed it. Yet he knew he was unprepared for what lay ahead. But like so much in life that, was no deterrent to things moving on.  
  
The being turned and Ranma screamed as he saw his younger self-staring back at him impassionedly.  
  
****  
  
Tension filled the room, almost suffocating it's occupants. Each of which had witnessed the terrible mad fit of thrashing that'd descended upon Ranma as he slept, scant minutes before. And even more disconcerting to some, had been the worry that'd began to mare Ku lon's own features. Now all waited silently, worried about what these portents indicated about the future.  
  
Tired of the silence, Nodoka spoke. "I..I wish I knew what was causing my son to suffer so." the shaky timber of her voice told all, just how worried the normally stoic woman was.  
  
"Your son suffers for the same reason he has always suffered." Everyone jumped in shock as the weak; rasp of Ku lon's voice answered the Matriarch of the Saotome Clan. "Because of the stupidity and selfishness of his father."  
  
Xian Pu was immediately at her elders side, helping her to sit up. "Thank you child, it seems walking in Ranma's mind proved far more draining than I'd feared."  
  
"So what's going on with Ran-chan!?" Ukyo was trying to ask politely but her concern made it sound more like a demand, for which the younger Amazon glared at her rival.  
  
Ku lon sat up, seeming to gain back some of her strength as she went through the motions of gathering up the tools of the enchantment she'd cast. "It seems, Genma is not a great teacher." She began.  
  
"What!' the aforementioned man roared "If Ranma's talent is not proof of MY martial prowess then."  
  
The unmitigated hate, apparent in the elders glare silenced him. "When you put your mind to it, you are a creative and somewhat talented martial artist. However, you are a poor teacher, a fact of which you are well aware." Genma gulped pitifully, as everyone regarded him suspiciously.  
  
"Then if he didn't teach Ranma, who did?" Nabiki asked  
  
The elder sighed deeply. "Having failed to train his son properly, Genma handed him over to a group that promised to make a warrior out of him, as well as provide Genma with money, and erase some of the outstanding warrants he had against him."  
  
Nabiki nodded. "Figures, I knew someone like Mr. Saotome should have a rap sheet, yet all my searching found none." Nabiki realized that her father was staring at her in shock. She shrugged. "Well I had to make sure the cops wouldn't be beating down the door and charging us for harboring a criminal."  
  
"So what they do to Airen, after wicked father sell him?"  
  
Ku lon sighed "The worst thing possible, they kept their promise to Genma, in truth they went beyond it. They trained him in the use of weapons, and made him fully capable of killing a grown man with his bare hands by the age of eight." She was forced to halt as a string of gasp sounded through the room. "Ranma's memory isn't great at this point in the tale, but it indicates that they were using him and a few other children to test theories on making the ultimate warrior. The idea was that instead of using expensive eugenics treatments, they'd start young, and build a superior warrior through training and discipline."  
  
Ukyo shook her head, aghast at what she heard. "Well at least they failed, I mean Ranma's not a killer." Her confidence in this wavered as she observed the elder's stony expression. "Right?  
  
"They used a mixture of physical and mental torture, to 'convince' Ranma to do their bidding." She paused and looked everyone in the eye. "In response, Ranma created a protector, a guardian personality to carry out the heinous acts, just to avoid their torment. This personality protects Ranma from all threats."  
  
"That's what surfaced today isn't it. This other personality!" Nabiki said  
  
"Yes, the border between the two has weakened over time, and the two are becoming one."  
  
The mood of the room nose-dived as the implications of this crashed into everyone. "Wait, what about the people who did this to him?" Kasumi asked "Won't they try to recapture him?"  
  
"No, they're all dead, by the hands of Ranma's other self." She shook her head. "They were labeled a threat by the other self and eliminated. And before you worry about records, I assure you he was. meticulous. in their destruction."  
  
Tsubasa rubbed his suddenly cold arms and looked worriedly at the pig- tailed son of Nodoka. Nodoka, for her part, seemed torn between her concern for her son, and her rage at Genma's actions.  
  
"So he's a monster, isn't he?" Akane glanced at the boy lying prone, fear, for once prevailing over her determined anger. A fear that increased as his eyes snapped open.  
  
"It's nice to know that after all I've done for you, that you'll stand up for me." The sarcasm was a little knew, Nabiki noted, as Ranma laboriously sat up. "I'll remember that the next time someone kidnaps you." Akane face turned red.  
  
"Ranam?" Nodoka's eyes searched her son's face.  
  
"Where's Genma? I'd like to speak with him." He said calmly  
  
Caught by surprise, no one said anything or moved. Except for Genma who strode over to his son, confident the boy had seen reason. "Yes, Boy?" he leaned down  
  
Ku long had to admit that the people who'd taught Ranma had been very talented. His hands snaked out and wrapped themselves around Genma's neck almost faster than she'd been able to follow.  
  
Genma found that his son was now standing on his feet, and had managed to lift his a good foot off the ground. He normally would've been decrying his son's lack of honor, but at the moment, Ranma's hands were doing a good job of cutting of the circulation to his brain. "HURRRK!" he managed.  
  
"I know what you did, and I know why." The youth snarled as the entire room watched on in shock. "I should kill you and feed your corpse to the dogs in the street." Ranma shook his father for emphasis. Causing Genma's body to flap like a fat rug in a hard wind. "But I don't want to have anymore blood on my hands." The pounding in his head was making it hard for Genme to hear, but Ranma was sure his point was getting across. "However, if you even look at me wrong, I'll snap your spine like the dry twig it is, got me?" Genma made a gurgling noise. "I'll take that as a yes." With that he dropped the tub of lard as if he were something unclean. Genma collapsed to the floor perpendicular to where the youth stood. It was not readily apparent if his unconsciousness was faked or not.  
  
Ranma glanced around at the assembled Nerima crew and sniffed angrily. "I admit that right now is NOT the best time for us all to talk, so, I'm going out for a breath of fresh air to calm down. I figure tomorrow after a good nights rest, we can discuss a few things. I have the feeling that there are going to hafta be a few changes around here."  
  
His eyes dared someone to say different. Satisfied, Ranma stared walking towards the exit. Incidentally his left foot managed to stomp down, and grind on Genma's groin. This had the effect of showing his unconscious had been faked as he jerked up right, hollering like a prissy banshee. Ranma's left foot, seeming to act of it's own will, lashed out and struck him across the temple, sending him truly into unconsciousness. After which, the youth continued out of the house.  
  
"Ehem." Everyone turned to Ku long. "I'd suggest that we all plan to approach him differently from now on."  
  
****  
  
Possible Epilogue  
  
5 years later  
  
Akane stared at the note, which confirmed that she had well and truly lost Ranma. Looking back on her actions, especially after that horrid night, she could find no one to blame but herself. She cursed her younger self for being such a spoiled princess as she re read the note for the umpteenth time.  
  
You are cordially invited to the wedding of  
  
Ranma Saotome  
& Yuka Kusanagi  
  
Author notes:  
  
That's enough for now. Hadn't seen to many metal gear solid crossovers, and the challenge of mixing these two very different stories was interesting indeed.  
  
Where could this go? Well, Ranma wouldn't have killed everyone in the organization that trained him, and considering what a success he was they'll want him back for further testing. Then there's the usual wrecking crew, will they realize that to even live with the new Ranma will take a major change in their actions towards him? How will Ranma deal with being a killer?  
  
Why Yuka? How? Well, Major Makoto Kusanagi had to come from somewhere right? ( Besides I find the idea of Akane losing Ranma to her best friend absolutely delicious. As for the how, well if your interested in continuing this, drop me a line, & I'll let you know. 


	8. GW 08

Defying Fate

By Metaverse

A Ranma ½ Story inspired by information on Prince of Persia: Warrior Within

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters nor am I making any money from this.

Please do not sue me.

Chapter 1: Opening Moves

Ranma knew it was a dream, despite how real it all seemed. The green grass that stretched into rolling hills that surrounded him for miles was an image burned into his mind long ago. Along with the feel of cool wind caressing his skin, as a warm sun shone down upon him. This field of life was one of the few places he'd ever been truly happy as a child. It was now a place he could only return to in dreams as the way back had long since been lost. Something else he could lay at his father's feet.

Ranma took a moment to enjoy the feel of being in this place and would've been content to continue on that way until he awoke but a familiar voice intruded on his relaxation.

"I always did love this place."

Ranma's eye snapped open and over to the lone figure who was now standing next to him, a figure that looked remarkably like him.

"What, do I have something on my face?" The other self queried.

""Wha.." Ranma responded intelligently.

The other being was much like Ranma except it was obvious he was a little older and taller as well as being a bit more solidly built, though his dark, torn cloths and stubbly face seemed to give off a hint of tiredness. It made it seem as if he'd not slept well in some time.

"I'm sure you have a ton of questions." The other began. "But frankly we are low on time, so I'll cut to the chase. Yes I am you, but a you from about eight years in the future, and no I'm not here right now in the physical sense. Transporting a physical body through time is extremely difficult and requires more energy than I have access to…"

Ranma gazed at the person for a moment before shrugging his shoulders and deciding to play along. "All right, not saying I believe you but then how and why are you here?"

The other shook his head "Patience Ranma." He smirked "It'll save you a lot of trouble in the future. Now as I was saying, I can't transport my body through time, but I can send my consciousness, which is what I've done. The reason for all this is that I want to save you and hopefully thereby save me."

Ranma folded his arms across his chest and frowned "What are you talking about, saving me?"

"I know how you and Akane's relationship has been deteriorating after the last wedding attempt. I also know that in six months time the issue will be forced by the fathers. At that time you will likely do what I did and break the engagement, which sets in motion a series of events that lead to the creation of an unstoppable foe bent on destroying me…Us…Whatever."

"So you're here to make me marry Akane?" Ranma was surprised to see the other him, burst out laughing.

"Good lord no. If you marry Akane she'll eventually kill you through a mixture of bad cooking and violent mood swings." He slowed to a chuckle. "In fact she'll put you in a body caste for trying to sleep in the same bed as her during your honeymoon, seems she doesn't like anyone but her beloved

Chan sleeping next to her."

Ranma didn't know what scared him more, the tale or that fact he could so easily envision it happening.

"No what I'm here to do is to help you stop this daemon before it's too late."

"How?"

"At this stage in my life I have gained a superior knowledge of the arcane and martial arts." To emphasize, he held out his right hand, palm up and conjured his chi, channeling the blue glow into the character for life. "However, none of it does me any good at this point. The daemon is simply to powerful now to be permanently stopped. I can only seal it for a time, and even that is starting to become ineffective. It's adaptive nature will eventually render it immune to my attacks, and one day it will kill me." This is where Ranma actually began to believe this other self. It was obvious that the years had not been kind to him, but the full gravity of it now came through as he bowed his head his voice nearly cracking as despair began to seep into his words. But just as the sorrow threatened to consume him, his head rose, mouth set firm and his eyes burning with a defiance far brighter than any Ranma had ever known.

"However," He began, pointing at his younger self. "If I knew and could do in my past what I can now, it might have made a difference."

Ranma shook himself from the mesmerizing war going on before him, as a seemingly irrational human spirit fought against the cold logic of the universe, and dared hope to win. "So your going to replace me?"

He shook his head, now seemingly more confident in his goal. "Better, I'm going to give you my experience and knowledge, hopefully, you'll be able to find away to save us both."

Ranma frowned, part of him still unsure about the wisdom or the validity of this person's claims. "I still don't understand why some monster would try to kill us just because we didn't marry Akane."

"Easily answered. Our fate was to die at Akane's hands after our marriage, but we defied that fate, and thus we are to be punished in this manner."

The skepticism raised one last defense against the force of the other's argument. "I still don't know if I believe any of this."

The older looked at his junior, meaningfully "Here's a thought, can you afford not to?"

For a moment, Ranma envisioned the life that had lead this self to such a desperate gamble. The years of running, sleeping with one eye open as some demonic beast hounded him, stealing any chance and even worse, any hope for a happy life. A true hell on earth the likes of which no one he knew could engineer. With this thought Ranma was forced to agree. "So what do I do?"

"Take my hand and I'll give you everything I have."

The two reached out and clasped hands as if they were brothers. "One last thing, from everything you've said it sound like that no matter what I do, I die. How can I possibly beat these odds?"

As Ranma felt himself fill with knowledge as the other self began to fade, he saw the other smile "Think of your situation as a two sided coin. If you flip a coin enough times one day it may land on it's edge."

* * *

Time Passes

Ranma strode boldly into Nerima after a month long training trip. After waking up to the wealth of knowledge and skill his future self provided, he'd found it necessary to get away from Nerima to assimilate all the information and skills he'd gained, literally, over night.

Still, leaving without giving more than a short note had probably not gone over to well with his associates. He'd left a hastily scrawled letter telling everyone that he needed some alone time to work things out in his head. In retrospect this probably was not the best idea he could've come up with, as the basic equation in most of his suitor's heads and most certainly that of his own father's likely ran along the lines of

Ranma + Time to think Unfavorable outcome for me.

Well, maybe not for Ukyo but that was mostly because she tended to live in a fantasy world where their future together was concerned.

Still, it may have been possible that no one had blown this out of proportion…

"RANMA! Prepare to DIE!" Three voices called as one.

Ranma sighed as he tossed his pack away from him, and reflected that he should've considered the fact that he lived in Nerima, home to the largest number of easily excitable people in Japan.

A quick glance around brought the situation into focus. Above him, Ryoga was descending from a nearby building, clearly intent on caving in his skull, with his up raised fist. To the front and back were Mousse & Kuno respectively, the former, readying a series of chains to wrap him up in.

Ranma flipped back, making sure to adjust it for Ryoga's decent speed. Just as Ranma's hands touched pavement, he snapped his legs up in a maneuver that connected solidly with Ryoga's chin. Though he pulled enough of the force from the blow that it didn't launch his opponent sky high, yet did completely stun him for a few precious seconds. Which was all the time needed.

Ranma completed his maneuver and landed on his feet, arms crossed over his chest. He watched as a severally stunned Ryoga landed unsteadily on his feet before sinking to his knees, Ryoga glared at Ranma, but was for the moment unable to move or say anything, the blow obviously having done it's work.

Just as Ryoga looked to be able to begin the process of getting to his feet, Mousses chains finally reached him, just as Ranma had planned. "Ranma! Today you pay for your crimes!" Mousse shouted

By stunning Ryoga with a pulled blow, and then removing himself from the immediate vicinity, he knew that the nearly blind Amazon would not be able to distinguish between him or his opponent. "Let go of me you blind fool! I'm not Ranma!" Ryoga tried unsuccessfully to fend off the other's attacks.

"You can't trick me with your lies Satome" Mousse responded while using the chains to sling his captured prey into a nearby wall.

Satisfied that those two would be occupied for the moment, he turned his attention to Kuno, who was currently ranting about the foul and treacherous Satome. What caught Ranma's eye, was the naked blade Kuno held above his head, ready for a downward strike. That made Ranma feel much better about using his own sword. One a friendly priest at that Misaki shrine had let him have after he spared a few times with his grandson.

Grasping the shaft at his back, in one smooth motion he pulled the sword into his right hand and the unhooked the sheath and held it in his left, both at the ready. Kuno came in with a downward chop, which Ranma parried to the outside on his right, then whipped fully around and caught Kuno in the side with a spinning right kick. The Kendoist stumbled, even showing his back for a moment but recovered. "So the Devil finally fights as a man." He taunted "Then I shall show thee the true power of my sword!" With that he struck forward, lunging once and then striking forward in a rapid flurry of steel. Ranma worked his sword and sheath together, keeping the hunting blade at a safe distance.

For several long moments the sound of metal seemed to ring in one long unbroken note as the two warriors faced off in a battle of speed. Slowly, Ranma began to work his opponent's blade down. Focused on his furious attack, Kuno did not notice, until his sword was forced so low that he was forced off balance. Reacting to the opening, Ranma locked His blade with Kuno's then, whipped around, in a back spin, to the right and smashed the side of his opponents head with his scabbard.

The blade fell from Kuno's suddenly limp hands as he crashed into the ground,

convulsing once before darkness claimed him.

Ranma, sheathed his blade and returned it to its place at his back. Turning around just in time to see Ryoga, slam his fist into Mousse's gut and proceed up and around in a windmill motion with the same arm, carrying the Amazon boy along, only to send him crashing into the ground hard enough to crack the sidewalk.

"Won't…let you have…sham..poo!" Mousse's arms tried to leaver his body up. "Blind fool!" Ryoga gritted out before cocking back a fist and striking the others abused abdomen hard enough to make Mousse taste the coppery ness of his own blood.

Ryoga's arm cocked back for another blow when Ranma intervened. "Hey piggy, your beefs with me! Leave him out of it!" Ranma managed to cover up his concern with a boastful taunt. He knew that such violence from Ryoga was unusual against anyone but him and figured the lost boy had seen or heard something during his absence that'd forced him close to the edge.

When Ryoga's dark eyes finally lifted to look at him, Ranma was forced to considered that Ryoga may have already fallen over. "What happened." He asked, cockiness gone from his voice.

Ryoga rose to his feet, kicking Mousse once more for good measure, before stepping over him and beginning his slow trek towards Ranma. "You happened, just like always."

Ranma noted that since settling on him, Ryoga's eyes had yet to leave him. "Gonna have to be more specific than that."

"She wants you." Ryoga said, while steadily closing the distance. "She claims you as her own." By now Ranma knew who 'she' was. "Akane…your vileness turned her into an obsessive monster. She will have you or no one will!" Though Ranma stood as before, his muscles were tensed as he mind worked through a number of opening moves he could make in the inevitable battle that was about to begin. "You've ruined something pure and beautiful and I will see to it that you never do so AGAIN!"

Ryoga had managed to close the intervening distance and punctuated his last word with a lightening fast toss of the right elbow, which he followed with a left uppercut as Ranma managed to duck his first blow, and then immediately launched into a spinning back kick, his right leg catching Ranma just as he was bouncing back to avoid the upper.

Ranma grimaced as the blow connected, but managed to grab the offending foot in both hands, incidentally halting his uncontrolled movement backwards, and yanked Ryoga towards him. Surprised, the berserker fighter was unprepared as Ranma slammed his left shoulder into him, before bringing his right fist, down and across, nailing Ryoga in the head.

Ryoga grunted as the blackness tinged at the edges of his consciousness but focused on his rage and managed to power through, grabbing Ranma by his clothes and slinging him to the ground.

Ranma just managed to roll out of the way as the berserker's foot came down on the space his head had occupied with enough force to actually crack the street down about half an inch.

Ranma new this was getting out of hand. Ryoga was so forgone in his rage that he wouldn't stop until one of them was at least no longer capable of moving, and more than likely till he was dead.

Ryoga charged in, arms raised above his head, ready to bring them down in a devastating arc. A guttural war cry issued from his throat, a mixture of pain and madness, the two things that currently held the lost boy in sway. Ranma remained in a crouch, waiting for the moment, to strike.

A moment he got when the arms came down. Ranma rolled around Ryoga's left side as the twin fists met the floor, burrowing in under the force of his blow. Ranma came to his feet on Ryoga's flank and immediately struck out at his back.

The lost boy had already begun to turn but no his movements ground to a halt as Ranma stepped back. "What…did…you….do…to...me!" Ranma folded his arms across his chest. "It's a neat little pressure point trick that's really useful for stopping berserker's in their tracks."

"Release….me!"

"Nuh uh," Ranma shook his head. "Your gonna stay like that till you've had a chance to cool down, buddy." He glanced over at Mousse and back again. "It's obvious your not you self."

"I'll…..Kill….y…yo…..you!"

Ranma shrugged "Maybe, but not today. Now you stay right there," He began as he walked over to the blind Amazon. "I'd better tend to Mousse."

* * *

Time folds forward

Ranma sat on the roof of the Tendo home, eyes gazing about at the twinkling night sky before him, ears listening to the commotion below. It'd been just over a month and a half since he'd been visited by his other self and been given the task. In that time, he'd managed to figure out where this Daemon would come from, interestingly enough the source was Akane Tendo. More accurately fate would fuel Akane's power with her rage, combined with that of everyone who would have reason to be angry with him once he left Nerima on his own.

This revelation presented him with two options. The simplest and most direct was to kill Akane and everyone else in Nerima who had beef with him, which was also not an option. For as much pain as they all caused him, they did not deserve to die. Besides, in a way, all of them were victims as well, it just so happened that sometimes, some of them seemed to enjoy the role fate had ordained for them. Still, being turned into an uncompromising killing machine hell bent on destruction was likely something Akane or the others would not want.

So that left option two. This one was a tad more complicated but solved the problem with hopefully the minimum of violence. The idea was to make each person who harbored dark thoughts against him, either forget or forgive whatever it was about him that made them mad. Truly the harder of the two, but if successfully he would rob the monster of its power and thus weakened he could banish the beast from Akane and eventually from this plane.

Tonight had been the first step towards that goal, for he'd called everyone together to discuss their situation. He'd managed to get a good feel for here everyone was coming from, just before the whole thing had degenerated into a royal rumble as the various personalities clashed.

"This won't be easy." He figured, the sound of someone below being shoved through a wall punctuating that thought. "But," he smiled and nodded as hope began to fill him. "It's a worth while challenge."

The End

Author notes:

This came about as I was reading the information on the game Prince of Persia: Warrior Within. The quality of the game itself is debatable, however, I honestly liked the concept of a monster that simply could not be beaten through conventional means. The sheer desperation and fear that ran through some of the cut scenes and the idea that fate was a resentful, bitter, petty force unwilling to accept any deviations in the destinies it has prepared for people was something I thought might fit well into a Ranma Story. After all fate's been pushing Ranma around for a while now so I figured it's time for him to push back.

I have no plans to continue this yet. If I did it would be a fairly fight free story as the goal is to end the vicious cycle of anger and jealousy that runs loose in Nerima like a dang plague.

If you have a desire to continue, just let me know.

"I don't like fate, it goes against the grain. Besides he cheats at cards!'

- Chaos, Aladdin the animated series.


End file.
